The Siem Reap Rundown

As the portal to one of the quintessential wonders of the world, Siem Reap is among the most desirable and in-demand destinations in Southeast Asia, let alone Cambodia. The capital of Siem Reap Province has a royal past that unfurls a peerless, monumental legacy to the multitudes who clamor here from every corner of the globe throughout the tropical dry season. Like Laos, Vietnam and the rest of Cambodia, Siem Reap has requisite French colonial landmarks which combine with venerable Khmer and old Chinese architecture to form a handsome little cityscape. The Old Market area, the primary hive of activity in town, bustles with shops, restaurants and hotels and has become more and more cosmopolitan, in line with the consistent rise in international tourism to Cambodia over the decades.

Of course, the bulk of the focus in Siem Reap is on peerless Angkor. The UNESCO World Heritage Site ranks with the Giza Pyramids, Borobudur, Great Wall of China and Taj Mahal in epic scale and in a telltale, magical ability to elicit awe. Angkor features ruins from as far back as the 9th century, when it was early days for the capital of the Khmer Empire. The flagship attraction, of course, is Angkor Wat. The stunning, unprecedented temple complex built for Suryavarman II in the early 12th century is the face of Angkor but, happily, just the tip of the iceberg in Siem Reap.

Siem Reap's Top 10

10. Cambodia Land Mine Museum is 25 km from Siem Reap but is worth the trip. The museum conveys the horrors of land mines without artifice or melodrama.

The capital of Siem Reap province is a small city of less than 200,000 people. On the whole, visitors tend to navigate the core hotel and restaurant enclave of Siem Reap on foot. The bulk of the action in town hinges on the Old Market area. More upscale resorts proliferate between the airport and the city proper.

Without question, Angkor is the lifeblood of Siem Reap. Few grasp the prodigious breadth of the UNESCO World Heritage Site however. Angkor, at 386 square miles, was the largest pre-industrial city in the world by far and may have sustained a population of up to 1 million people. As a result, the ancient area covers much more than Angkor Wat and envelops other archaeological sites like Angkor Thom, Baksei Chamkrong, Banteay Kdei, Banteay Samré, Banteay Srei, Baphuon, the Bayon, Chau Say Tevoda, East Baray, East Mebon, Kbal Spean, the Khleangs, Krol Ko, Lolei, Neak Pean, Phimeanakas, Phnom Bakheng, Phnom Krom, Prasat Ak Yum, Prasat Kravan, Preah Khan, Preah Ko, Preah Palilay, Preah Pithu, Pre Rup, Spean Thma, Srah Srang, Ta Nei, Ta Prohm, Ta Som, Ta Keo, Terrace of the Elephants, Terrace of the Leper King, Thommanon, West Baray and West Mebon. Cross them all off your list, if you can spare the time.

Siem Reap Eat & Drink

From the vibrant, fresh flavors of Khmer cuisine to typical Western and continental fare, Siem Reap has a small but diverse restaurant scene.

Siem Reap celebrates Khmer folk and Theravada Buddhist holidays in colorful fashion. The province is also ripe for ecological and traditional village tourism.

Angkor Photo Festival was the first photography festival in Southeast Asia. The emphasis is on talent from the region but a fair number of international photographers share the limelight as well. The festival takes place in Siem Reap in November.

Pchum Ben (Spirit Festival) is a Khmer ancestor worship festival that takes place in either September or October.

The Khmer New Year falls in mid-April and is a joyful time in Cambodia. Games, venerable rituals, temple rites, colorful garb, special foods and processions mark the occasion.

Silk Farm Tours and the Siem Reap Silk Festival both provide a peek at a vital cornerstone of the export economy in Cambodia.

Tonlé Sap Lake Tours allow visitors to commune with traditional village culture and a foremost UNESCO World Heritage Biosphere Reserve. Tonlé Sap is the dominant freshwater lake in Southeast Asia and expands from 1,400 square miles in the dry season to 6,178 square miles at the apex of the monsoon season.

When To Go

Conditions in Siem Reap-Angkor waver between hot, humid and sticky throughout the year. The tropical wet and dry climate provides one patent tourist window to exploit, however, from November to February. The dry season is not only devoid of rain, for the most part, but features cooler temperatures of 67.5°F (20°C) to 91.5°F (33°C). The downside is that throughout the period, both Siem Reap and Angkor are chockablock with tourists and tour buses. Hotels, restaurants, transportation et al. are duly more expensive.

If you come from March to May, however, tourists pay in other ways. Temperatures run from 79°F (26°C) to 96°F (35.5°C) throughout the three-month span and the swelter is inescapable. The subsequent wet season provides some relief but wreaks havoc with rivers and roads. Most of Siem Reap’s 58 in (1,450 mm) of annual precipitation falls between June and October.

What To Miss

The mystical charm of Angkor gets somewhat lost amid the myriad distractions of souvenir vendors, buskers and the like. Huge markups for basic crafts and trinkets is the norm at the UNESCO World Heritage Site and, as such, visitors would do well to give opportunistic merchants a wide berth and purchase gifts or souvenirs in Siem Reap proper (or Phnom Penh and Bangkok even). Needless to say, the incipient rise in international tourism to Angkor in recent years - the Cambodian government has a target of 3 million visitors a year in mind - has led to the kind of monument abuse and desecration that UNESCO and cultural conservationists frown upon.

With that, a number of freelance tour guides in Siem Reap give legitimate licensed ones a bad name. Make sure to book a valid organized tour when you venture to Angkor or source out a reliable guide if you plan to go solo. A decent guide will cost somewhere in the vicinity of USD $20 for a day. If you prefer to go it alone, purchase the comprehensive English-language “Ancient Angkor” guidebook at one of the temples on-site. The info therein is accurate down to bas-relief details and serves as a suitable Angkor compass of sorts.

The water villages and markets of Siem Reap Province are of obvious inherent interest to travelers. While must-see, visitors need not book a separate tour to view them as the riverboat from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh offers sufficient glimpses of village life on the water. If this is how you plan to travel to the Cambodia capital, skip the relatively expensive river tours.

Lastly, the Cambodian Cultural Village is a manifest trap. Though popular with tourists, it is much more of a theme park money-grab than a genuine depiction of venerable Khmer culture.

Getting Around

Siem Reap International Airport handles more passengers than any other airport in Cambodia. The government has plans to eventually replace it, however, with a new airport 60 km from Siem Reap. Destinations served by the hub include Bangkok, Guangzhou, Ho Chi Minh City, Kuala Lumpur, Phnom Penh, Phuket, Seoul-Incheon, Singapore, Taipei, Vientiane and Yangon.

A host of bus operators offer service from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap-Angkor. A newly paved road makes the journey more comfortable and shorter than in years past. Many travelers to Thailand choose to bus over to the Cambodia border, acquire a quick visa and then split a taxi to Angkor with a few others. Share taxis are a good option from the Cambodia capital as well.

Within Siem Reap, a compact city center makes it easy for pedestrians to get around. Copious vehicles for hire abound in town, from tuk-tuks and motorbikes to conventional cabs. Additionally, many hotels and small guesthouses rent out bicycles for the day. Angkor is approximately 20 minutes from Siem Reap.

General Information

As the home of one of the most visited attractions in Asia, Siem Reap provides Cambodia with a reliable destination for international tourism. The capital of Siem Reap Province has a rich past that reveals a diverse heritage to visitors from around the globe. From the old French quarter to Chinese architecture, Siem Reap has many landmarks of interest. A turbulent 20th century, most notably under the Khmer Rouge Communist Regime of Pol Pot, has thankfully made way for a new era of relative prosperity.

Of course, most of the attention in Siem Reap is on peerless Angkor. The UNESCO World Heritage Angkor Archaeological Park covers over 400 km2 and features ruins from the 9th to 15th century, when the area was the capital of the Khmer Empire. The most famous attraction in the park is Angkor Wat, the temple whose five towers are indelibly familiar. With tourism to Angkor on the rise over the past two decades, Siem Reap has become a hospitable hub, with great museums and restaurants.

Attractions & ActivitiesAttractions

Angkor Wat

Angkor National Museum

Psar Chaa

Angkor Thom

Cambodia Landmine Museum

Activities

Angkor Photo Festival

Spirit Festival

Khmer New Year

Silk Festival

Tonl&eacute; Sap Lake Tour

Restaurant & NightlifeRestaurants

Blue Pumpkin

The Warehouse

Dead Fish

Shintamani

Meric

Nightlife

Sok San

Aqua Sydney

The Laundry Bar

The X Bar

Abacus

Climate

Siem Reap is very hot and humid for most of the year, most notably from March to May. Relative protection from tropical storms is certainly beneficial for tourism, despite the summer wet season. Average temperatures waver between 19&deg;C and 35&deg;C throughout the year.

Offering chic accommodations located in the centre of the historic Siem Reap, Angkor Paradise makes for an ideal starting point for travellers exploring the ancient Khmer city. While in this part... More

“

Great Location

Offering contemporary service and warm hospitality, this property makes you to enjoy all the privileges, for an unforgettable stay. General The hotel offers well-equipped meeting rooms that can... More

“

Excellence Service

The staffs are helpful and can speak English well. The room is tidy and clean. At the last night we stayed in Siem Reap, the whole town was out of electricity but we are glad that the hotel is not...

Royal Angkor Resort & Spa is a fine property offering the guests the modern facilities required for a comfortable stay. GeneralRoyal Angkor Resort & Spa has beautiful and large outdoor swimming... More

“

Long weekend Family Trip

Hotel is wonderful, pool is stunning and spacious. Room was fantastic, breakfast amazing!
The hotel also offer babysitting at 3USD per hour, which we used so we could go out for dinner, such a...

The Privilege Floor @ Borei Angkor boasts of intimate spaces and top-notch amenities, suitable for a romantic and luxurious Siem Reap escape for vacationing couples and holidaymakers. While in this... More

Catering only to a maximum of 56 guests in 28 spacious rooms spread across five separate pavilions, our unique size allows us to prioritize the personalized services and attention to detail that we... More

Featuring a seamless blend of ancient Khmer culture and modern amenities, Angkor Sayana Hotel & Spa Siem Reap makes for an ideal haven for holidaymakers travelling through this part of Cambodia.... More

Memoire D Angkor Boutique Hotel Siem Reap welcomes sophisticated travellers to stylish retreat centrally located close to local attractions in this Northwestern Cambodia city. While in Siem Reap,... More

“

Clean and centrally located

good service provided on airport pick up. hotel reception is rather simple doesn't look like a 4 star hotel however hotel staff provided good service during check in. hotel do provide free laundry...

Prices reflect the lowest "base rate" found over the next 30 days. Rates are subject to change and may not include taxes and fees, hotel service charges, extra person charges, or incidentals, such as room service. Converted rates are provided for your convenience. They are based on today's exchange rate, but the hotel will charge you in the local currency. Taxes may be payable in addition.